Rim friction catch



Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RIM FRICTION CATCH Gotthard E. Hagstrom,

Hamden, C'onn., assignor Application April 13, 1938, Serial No..201,659

5 Claims.

This invention relates to locking devices and has particular reference to spring catches for reliably holding a door closed.

One object of the invention is to provide .a device of the character described of improved simplified arrangement and construction so that it can be manufactured to sell in competition with the catches that are generally used in the inexpensive types of closets and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a one piece sheet metal casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for securing the latch bolt mounting pin.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved spring and mounting therefor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved strike especially adapted for rapid and easy mounting in closets.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coordination of the casing and latch bolt to secure a high degree of compactness and reliability.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed tion, mounted on the bottom wall and on the door of the closet, shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts of the device in section and shown as about to interlock.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the strike.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the latch.

Fig.5 is a top edge view of the spring.

Figs. 6 and '7 are like central transverse sectional views of the latch, the first showing the latch bolt in open position and the other showing it in locking position, with the spring omitted.

Fig. 8 is a view of a blank for the casing.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated-in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a device .embodying the invention. The same may include a latch H mounted on a door I2 and a strike [3 mounted on any relatively stationary wall part such as the bottom wall [4 of a closet.

The latch I I includes a casing [5 which may be made as a casting, but preferably consists of a one piece sheet metal blank l6 as shown in Fig. 8, hereinafter described. Said casing may include a back wall ll, topand bottom walls 3, l9 respectively, and end walls 20, cooperating to afford a front opening. The back wall ll may. lie in a plane and may have end tabs 2! projecting beyond the casing proper to mopnt the same. The top and bottom walls I8, 19 project forwardly from the back wall at the top and bottom thereof. The end walls 20 preferably project upward from the bottom wall l9 and cooperate with the walls l1, l8 and I9 to form a box like structure.

Formed on the bottom wall l9 at the front edge thereof are extensions that are shaped to provide a plurality of alined spaced ears 22 which desirably lie above the plane of the bottom wall l9, and preferably at least partially within the casing. Since the ears 22 lie closely adjacent to the end walls 20, the latter form stops or closures therefor to prevent accidental removal of a pin 23 upon whichthe latch bolt 24 is pivotally mounted. It will be noted the bottom wall N forms at least a part of the cars 22 for a simplifled construction.

The latch bolt 24 is disposed between the ears 22, and is mounted for swinging movement between the generally horizontal open position shown in Fig. 6, and the generally vertical locking position shown in Fig. 7. Thus the latch bolt includes an outward extending catch part having a cam face 25, and a tail part 27 which is normally disposed in the casing.

To accommodate the latch bolt, the bottom wall E9 may have a cut out 28, with Whose forward edge the latch bolt has stop engagement at 29 as shown in Fig. '7. Also, with the cars 22 formed against said bottom wall 19, the latter may have a depression or recess 30 to partly accommodate the tail end 21 of the latch bolt to permit the latter to assume a substantially horizontal position, with the tail end 21 having stop engagement with said bottom wall in said depression 30.

Coacting with the latch bolt is a U-shaped strip spring 3|, having an arm 32 bearing against and extending along the back wall ll, with the spring being fitted between the top, bottom and end walls of the casing so as to be reliably retained therein, and the front spring arm 33 bearing against the end of the tail portion 21 as shown in Fig. 2 and against a side thereof as shown in Fig. 4, to thus releasably retain the latch bolt in open and closed positions,

The blank l6, of which the casing is formed, may include sections like those hereinbefore described, but for differentiation denoted by like numerals with the letter a appended thereto, and the dotted lines indicating the lines of bending.

The strike i3 is a one piece structure having a securing plate portion 34, from which extends the lateral upwardly ofiset section 35. The latter may have an opening 36 to receive the latch bolt, and an upward projecting lip 3'! at the front edge of said opening.

When the door I2 is being closed as in Fig. 2, the point of the latch bolt 24 engages under the lip 31, and the cam face 25 causes the latch bolt to swing downwardly to enter the opening 36, as shown in Fig. 1. When the door is being pulled open, the rear edge of the opening 36 engages the latch bolt and swings the latter to the open position.

I claim:

1. A locking device including a casing of sheet material, said casing having a plurality of walls of one piece sheet material including a bottom wall and tab-like end walls, the bottom walls having upwardly bent alined spaced ears, a latch member, a pin in said ears for pivotally mounting the latch member, the end walls cooperating with the ears to at least partially close the adjacent openings thereof to retain said pin, whereby said latch member and pin can be assembled with the casing and then the end walls bent into their normal position with the pin retained thereby, and a spring in the casing for controlling the latch member retained in place by said end walls.

2. A locking device including a one piece casing of sheet material, including a rear wall terminating in end tabs in the plane thereof for mounting the casing, a top wall and a bottom wall projecting from said rear wall at the top and bottom thereof, respectively, end walls projecting from one of said top and bottom walls and bent to lie in front of said back wall at an angle thereto with the end tabs projecting beyond the end walls, the different walls co-operating to provide a rectangular casing having a front opening, the bottom wall having a central latch bolt receiving cut out at the front edge thereof, the bottom wall having projecting tongues at its front edge at the sides of said out out, said tongues being upwardly bent to form alined ears, a pin in said ears, a latch bolt mounted on said pin for pivotal movement to different positions, said latch bolt in one position thereof projecting downward of the bottom wall and lying in said out out, said latch bolt in another position projecting outward of the casing through said front opening, a U-shaped strip spring in the casing and retained therein by the latch bolt, the latch bolt having a portion cooperative with the spring in the different positions to releasably retain the latch bolt in said positions.

3. A device including a, one piece casing of sheet material, said casing having a back wall, forwardly extending top and bottom walls integrally connected to the back wall, tab-like angularly bent end walls integrally connected to one of said top and bottom walls, the different walls co-operating to provide a rectangular casing, the bottom wall having integral spaced tongues shaped to form alined ears adjacent to the front edge of the bottom wall, a pin in said ears, a latch bolt pivotally mounted on said pin, said ears'being at least partially disposed in the casing closely adjacent to said end walls, said casing having a front opening, said bottom wall having a recess to receive the latch bolt upon pivotal movement of the latter from a position generally horizontal to said bottom wall to a position generally at right angles thereto, said latch bolt having a catch portion extending outward of the casing and a tail portion lying at least partially in the casing, said bottom wall serving as a stop for the tail portion of the latch bolt in one position thereof, the inner edge of said recess serving as a stop for the latch bolt in the other position thereof, and a spring in the casing cooperative with said tail portion at an end and at a side thereof according to the different positions of the latch bolt to releasably retain the latter in either position.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said bottom wall includes a depressed section along the inner edge of the recess to partially receive the tail end of the bolt, and said ears having their bottom portions formed in part by said bottom wall so that the ears lie close to the bottom of the casing.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein said spring consists of a U-shaped strip of spring material having one arm extending along said back wall, said spring being fitted between the top and bottom and end walls, the other arm of the spring bearing against the tail portion of the latch bolt.

GOTTHARD E. HAGSTRXOM; 

